Dakota Places: Southwestern Minnesota History and Culture Tour

Knowing Minnesota requires us to understand the state’s varied communities and cultures. Working in philanthropy requires us to know how systems and histories connect to create today’s realities and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Image

Join Dakota artist Marlena Myles and cultural/social systems change advocate, Ramona Kitto Stately, as we travel through Southwestern Minnesota exploring Dakota history and culture. Marlena and Ramona's stories will connect us with the history, the land, the people, the present, and future as told from their Dakota perspective.

Past participants said this event was a "lifechanging experience" and shared that "my perspective of our history will never be the same".

Tour stops (subject to change) include:

• Lower Sioux Agency with visits to their Cultural Arts Incubator & Historic Sites
• Pipestone National Monument
• Hocokata Ti in Shakopee
• Jeffers Petroglyphs
• Little Crow Burial Site in Flandreau, SD

The tour, hosted by MCF, will include opportunities to connect with peers in philanthropy, to reflect on the stories, history, and cultures.

Marlena Myles is a self-taught Native American (Spirit Lake Dakota/Mohegan/Muscogee) artist located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her art brings modernity to Indigenous history, languages and oral traditions while using the land as a teacher. Growing up on her traditional Dakota homelands here in the Twin Cities, she enjoys using her artwork to teach Minnesotans of all backgrounds the Indigenous history of this place we call home. Marlena is the Chair of WASHMN’s Media/Pop Culture Task Force.

Ramona Kitto Stately is an enrolled member of the Santee Sioux Nation. Her educational background includes a BA in Dakota Art and Culture, and a MAE-Teacher Leadership. She worked in Indian Education for the Osseo Area School District 2005-2020 and has been the Chairperson of the Minnesota Indian Education Association since 2018. Currently she serves as the Project Director of We Are Still Here MN and Director of Cultural and Community Affairs for the Birthing Justice Coalition.

Additional Tour Details

• The tour registration includes comfortable coach bus transportation, all meals, admission to all venues, and one night’s lodging. 
• The tour will start and end in the Twin Cities metro area (I-494 area, exact location TBD). The bus will depart at 8:00 a.m. on Monday and return approximately 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. 
• The tour will include significant time sitting, standing, and walking. The tour will happen rain-or-shine, so please bring appropriate clothing for the forecast.
• Lodging, included with registration, will be single occupancy rooms across the border from Pipestone, at the Royal River Hotel in Flandreau, South Dakota. 
• Health policies for in-person events: MCF takes seriously the health of staff, members and other stakeholders. Please see the public health measures that we've instituted for in-person programming. 
• Due to the nature of planning an overnight event, refunds will be limited to public health and emergency cancelations, as described above.
• Please update your online MCF profile with any dietary restrictions or notify the MCF staff person listed below. We will attempt to accommodate all requests made at least one week prior to the event. 

Bring a Team and Save

The group rate is buy 2 get the 3rd for ½ price. Email Khin Oo, [email protected] for more information.

Questions about registering for this event may be directed to Khin Oo, [email protected].